It is suddenly time for us to go and I for one leave Moorea with regret. The weather has been wonderful, Kerriann's house has been incredible, as you have already read we have done so much , met so many people, seen so many things and eaten so much ice-cream that my life will never quite be the same!
The bags are at last packed and the goodbyes on Moorea have been said. Kerriann is coming with Lisa and myself to Tahiti to see us off on the plane tomorrow morning, first we have to cross the 12 miles of Pacific Ocean that separates Moorea from Tahiti.
As the 4pm ferry worked its way out of Moorea's port, the sun placed Moorea into silhouette. I gazed once more at the ragged beauty of Moorea. Mountains so staggeringly shear it is breathtaking.
Slowly we left the quiet lagoon waters
and entered the pass, noting the difference in the roll of the huge ship as the large rolling oceanic waves lifted and rolled us as we moved through them.
Lisa stood with Moorea in shadow behind her, the wind refreshingly cool after the heat of the day.
The crossing was once again calm, in comparison to what some crossings can be like, and it was a pleasure to be able to sit out on the top deck and watch as Moorea faded into the distance.
Birds flew low above the waves skimming between the rolling peaks and troughs ,
tiny rainbows caught the light as the bow wave misted up in the wind,
the details of Tahiti began to clarify as we crossed the 12 miles and neared her coast.
Kerriann pointed out the runway on the edge of the Island that tomorrow would begin our 4 day journey back to Southampton.
A large cruise ship lay in the harbour as we arrived, familiar to us now as we had seen them so often in the bays of Moorea.
We climbed down onto the busy dockside, people spilling from the ferry with places to go and people to see. We had neither and so we wandered slowly through the crowd and sat down in the late afternoon sun to watch the world pass by.
There was a small open park just to one side of the docks where some teenagers were practising their dancing, entertaining people as they too sat to pass the day.
Stalls began to appear just to our right, an evening food market came to life as chairs and tables were set up along the walk way and the smells of cooking soon filled our sences.
We spent a quiet evening in Tahiti, Lisa was not looking forward to the return trip, Kerriann was sad to see us go. We spent the night in a quiet Pension just around the corner from the airport. We slept fitfully and awoke slightly refreshed but still subdued.
Moorea could be seen in the distance above the top of the Airport, clouds gathering on her ridges. We ate a little breakfast together, sitting quietly in the cafe as people rushed by. With tears falling we said our goodbyes, not for good, but just for now and silently Lisa and I walked through the gates and into Departures.
Kerriann returned to the harbour and as we boarded our first plane of many, she boarded the ferry that would take her back to Moorea for the remainder of her stay.
The rest of our journey was tiring and long. It was with relief that we finally stumbled through the doors of Lisa and Steve's house 4 days later, the past month growing into a memory as we settled down in our familiar environment.
THE END
I hope you have enjoyed reading my Story as much as I have enjoyed telling it. Many thanks to Lisa and Kerriann, Jan and Ron plus all the amazing people we met while away. It was simply the best trip a little duck like me could have made!
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